*** Westbank: "We are aware that there is a document circulating that purports to be a letter from Tony Blair, supposedly with his views of Palestinian politicians and the peace process. As far as we are tell, this fake letter originated on an Israeli gossip website. This letter is a complete fabrication and I can categorically deny that Mr Blair has anything to do with anything like this. Such a letter never existed." Offizielle Stellungnahme von Matthew Doyle, Sprecher von Blair zur Debka-Meldung er sei zurück getreten. [...] A 13-year-old boy was wounded Thursday night in a terror attack targeting the car in which he was travelling near Hebron. The boy suffered light to moderate wounds and was evacuated to Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem for medical care. [...] Verhaftungswellen-Niveau an den letzten zwei Tage "exzessiv": In Qabatia entkommen zwei Milizenführer des Islamic Jihad ihrer möglichen Verhaftung, oder extralegalen Tötung. Die Fatah geht gegen Hamas-nahe "Intelligenz" vor: Unter sechs Verhafteten sind ein Lehrer, Student und der Direktor des Polytechnischen Instituts an der an-Najah-Universität. Die IDF inhaftiert zwölf Personen, darunter eine 17-jährige des al-Khatib-clans im Balata-Flüchtlingslager. [Mir fällt da immer gleich die Rana al-Khatib ein, auch wenn die Verwandtschaftsgrade nicht erschließbar sind.] ... Palestinian health minister Fathi Abu Maghli confirmed on Friday that investigations are continuing into the smuggling of counterfeit medicines and expired food products that are being sold in the Palestinian market. He added that a report will be issued within the next few days that will include data, facts and figures about the extent of the problem. During a press conference at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health in Ramallah on Thursday evening Abu Maghli called on citizens not to be affected by scaremongering concerning expired drugs and food. [...] Messianic Jews: We're subjected to harassment - Members of controversial Jewish sect speak out against ill treatment at hands of religious Jews in wake of blast that severely injured 15-year-old youth belonging to their community.

*** Sonstiges: Israel has agreed to let Russia deliver 25 armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Friday - a move meant to bolster moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his fierce struggle with Islamic Hamas militants. Russia had proposed shipping the armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces two years ago, but Israel initially balked, fearing the cars would fall into Hamas' hands. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday during a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah that Israel should end the blockade of the Gaza Strip and halt all settlement activity.

After meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lavrov told a press conference that the blockade, imposed by Israel and Egypt after Hamas seized control of Gaza in June, is unacceptable. Lavrov added that Russia was very much concerned about Israeli construction on land the Palestinians claim for a future state. "We call for an immediate halt to settlement activity," he said. On Thursday, Lavrov met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who expressed concern over Russia's continuing supply of sophisticated weaponry to Syria and Iran. Olmert stressed Israel's fear that these weapons, including advanced anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft missiles, could find their way into the hands of the Lebanon-based guerilla group Hezbollah, supported by Syria and Iran, which has threatened to destroy Israel. Lavrov responded by saying that Russia has no knowledge of Hezbollah possessing Russian weapons, and that if Israel has any information on the topic, Russia would be happy to look into it. [Sieht eher nichts so aus als ob Abbas in Moskau erfolgreich für das Alleinvertretungsrecht der PLO für Palästinenser geworben habe.] ... The Israel Air Force ordered all F-16I fighter jets grounded Friday, after a carcinogenic material was found in the cockpit of one of the planes. IAF Commander Eliezer Shkedy ordered an examination of strong smells in the cockpit following several complaints by pilots. The Medical Corps examination found that the material in question was formaldehyde, which was recently recognized as a carcinogenic substance in high levels of exposure. [...] Syria is ready to renew negotiations with Israel on condition that this move will not influence the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, the country's foreign minister, Walid Moallem, was quoted as saying Friday. Morgen werde ich mal einen größeren post zu den Vorgängen Libanon-Syrien schreiben. Äußersts interessante entwicklungen aber auch Kämpfe in den Flüchtlingslagern des Libanon mit mindestens einem Toten.]

Akiva Eldar mit einem special über Salam Fayyad: "I had a wonderful day," Salam Fayyad says with a big smile, in his spacious office. A few hours earlier, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority had received $150 million from the U.S. consul general in Jerusalem. This is far from the largest amount ever handled by Fayyad, a veteran official at the International Monetary Fund, who holds a Ph.D. in economics. What moved him was the American government's readiness to deposit its rapidly thinning dollars into the PA's bank account. And not in controlled infrastructure or a specific project, but as aid to finance the activities, and even the salaries, of his civil servants. At a time of economic distress in the United States, generous financing like this can truly be considered a certificate of appreciation and trust.

*** Iran: US Vice President Dick Cheney was set to meet Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Friday for talks expected to focus on the Iranian threat, among other pressing issues. Cheney's advisors said that a long list of discussion topics included Iran, Syria, Lebanon, protecting infrastructure against terror attacks and the vice president's visit this week to Iraq and Afghanistan. [...] Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear program, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed during their working meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. Haaretz has meanwhile learned that Iran has provided Syria with more than $1 billion for arms purchases, reflecting Syria's drive to build up its military power in the last year, as well as the strengthening of ties between the two countries. Olmert and Merkel discussed steps to continue the international pressure on Iran that has developed following the third round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. Both leaders voiced ideas on increasing the pressure on Iran and enlisting the international community to support the effort. A senior source said that Olmert had suggested holding an international conference on Iran. The two leaders decided to advance the initiative and will try to enlist other states to back it, including the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China, as well as other European states and Arab countries that are threatened by Iran's nuclear program. [...] Dazu interne riften zum Steinmeier-Clan: Nach der Rede von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) vor der Knesset am Dienstag in Jerusalem wird im Libanon eine einseitige Verengung der deutschen Nahost-Politik befürchtet. Das sagte der SPD-Außenpolitiker Rolf Mützenich nach einem Besuch in der libanesischen Hauptstadt Beirut am Freitag dem "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" (Samstagsausgabe). Der Nahost-Experte seiner Fraktion sagte nach Gesprächen unter anderem mit dem libanesischen Ministerpräsidenten Fuad Siniora und dem prosyrischen Oppositionsführer Michel Aoun, aber auch Vertretern der Hisbollah: "Man weiß um die historische Verantwortung Deutschlands für Israel, aber im Libanon hat man es vermisst, dass die Kanzlerin sich nicht wenigstens am Rande einer Pressekonferenz auch zu Palästina geäußert hat."